Its Sh200m upgrade for referral hospital

What you need to know:

  • He said the hospital would be upgraded to level 5 status after the renovation. “For now, we will install an oxygen plant and construct a blood bank,” he said.

Homa Bay’s main hospital will be refurbished at a cost of Sh200 million.

While dismissing claims of impending strikes at the hospital, Health Executive Lawrence Oteng said the hospital faced challenges just like others all over the country.

Residents and health workers have recently raised concern about poor working conditions and services at the hospital.

Dr Oteng’ said the pharmacy would be upgraded but dismissed allegations of missing drugs.

“The hospital has faced challenges but the absence of one drug cannot be used to condemn it,” Dr Oteng’ said.

He said the hospital would be upgraded to level 5 status after the renovation. “For now, we will install an oxygen plant and construct a blood bank,” he said.

He added that the hospital had four functional theatres and two ambulances. “We will increase the number of ambulances to be stationed in various hospitals in the sub-counties,” he added.

Nurses said the disruption of work witnessed recently was due to delayed salaries.

“There were fears at the onset of devolution. Today we have no problem after the county government sorted out the crisis,” said Mr Jacob Odhawa, the Kenya National Union of Nurses Homa Bay Branch Organising Secretary.